Police seeking rooftop burglar

Watsonville Police released this image of a suspect who broke into Cigarette City on June 9. (Courtesy of Watsonville Police Department)

WATSONVILLE  Watsonville Police are looking for a suspect or suspects thought to be responsible for a string of burglaries in which someone broke into five businesses through rooftop accesses.

In the most recent case, a man entered Taqueria Mi Tierra No. 1 at 1471 Freedom Blvd. late Tuesday or early Wednesday and stole a cash register.

Investigators are looking at video surveillance and looking at fingerprints and shoe impressions taken from the scenes.

On Sunday the suspect broke into Cigarette City at 1441 Freedom Blvd., and on June 8 burglarized California Grill Restaurant at 1970 Freedom Blvd.

The suspect entered a medical office at 9 Crestview Drive May 14 or 15, and an office on the 250 block of Green Valley Road in early April.

Watsonville Police Sgt. Eric Taylor said the burglaries occurred around the same time and in the same area, Taylor said. In addition, video surveillance shows what appears to be the same man burglarizing two of the businesses.

All this leads police to suspect that the same person is responsible for all five burglaries, he said.

Taylor said that two of the businesses had minimal locks on their rooftop hatches.

We would suggest that any businesses that have that type of access fortify it, he said.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his late 30s or early 40s. He is bald and thin, with a tattoo on his forearm and a mustache.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Watsonville Police Department Investigations Bureau at 768-3352 or the anonymous tip line at 768-3544.